


Card

by BarPurple



Series: Fandomas 2018 [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 06:34:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16827103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: Storybrooke has some definite ideas about what makes a good Christmas card.





	Card

The click of the front door behind him eased the tension of the day from him, as he slid his can into the umbrella stand Gold called out.

“I’m home, sweetheart!”

“In the dining room, darling!”

Gold limped into the dining room and smiled at the sight that greeted him. The table was strewn with paper and pencils, and Belle was seated at one end, the tip of her tongue peeking from the corner of her mouth as she bent over her work. Normally he’d greet her with a kiss, but Belle didn’t like him getting a glimpse of her drawings until she was ready, so he leaned against the doorframe. 

“Ready to be viewed, or shall I put the kettle on?”

Belle looked up at him with a warm smile; “Come have a look.”

Gold dropped a kiss on to her cheek before he sat down and looked at the offered paper. Six months to go before December, but Belle was busily drawing Christmas scenes. A bushy faced Santa was getting a trim in a traditional barbershop. Belle’s cheerful caricature style had captured the weary sigh on the face of the barber perfectly.

“Oh, Mr Thomson is going to love this.”

“I hope so,” Belle handed him another page, “Gus dropped the car off this morning and gave his seal of approval for this.”

On the page Cinderella’s carriage had lost a wheel and was being fixed by mice in little blue coveralls. Gold grinned; “Of course he did, it’s perfect.”

Belle was biting her lip; “You don’t think this is all a bit silly, do you?”

Gold wrapped his arm around Belle and pulled her in close to his side; “Silly was Regina’s design, all that harsh black and silver.

He gave a dramatic shudder to make Belle laugh. While he could appreciate the importance of a professional mask and a good solid aesthetic, Regina trying to enforce black and sliver Christmas cards for all the town’s public services was ridiculous. She’d try to make some bones about the importance of presenting a unified image for the town, but that had fallen flat.   
The town wanted jolly, and Belle’s designs had jolly in abundance. The library’s card featured the staff dressed as characters from A Christmas Carol. Once Sheriff Swan had seen Belle’s sketch for that, she’d asked if Belle could draw her pulling Santa over for speeding. Word got out and requests for fun designs featuring the staff and owners of businesses came in thick and fast. 

Dark Star Pharmacy had opted for Rudolph buying cold meds and hankies, and Mr Clark’s nose was as red as the reindeer. Granny’s card was a cheeky elf carrying a feast of puddings and treats, staying just within the bounds of good taste by a couple of well-placed Christmas puds. 

Gold reached over and picked up the drawing that Belle had made for his own business. Since she’d used the Dickens classic for the library, he’d insisted that she draw him as the Grinch.

“I’m still not sure about that one, darling.”

“It’s perfect. I do have a reputation to maintain.”

Belle took the drawing from him and placed it safely on the table, before she climbed into his lap.

“But everyone knows that mean old Mister Grinch really loves Christmas.”

Gold stole a kiss and grinned as he thought of the carefully packed boxes of decorations and lights in the attic just waiting to be opened again come the first of December. In the four years he’d been with Belle the whole town knew just how much he loved Christmas. And this year would be extra special. He stroked a hand across Belle’s stomach, that was just beginning to show a hint of a bump.

“Exactly.”


End file.
